Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
“That way, everyone can meet. If you’re not ready yet, I understand. Of course your comfort is my priority, and you’ve been so gentle and open-minded about everything these past few months, which I’m very grateful—”
“Rowan,” I interrupt, and his mouth snaps shut. I can feel his hands shaking from where they continue to rub at my back. “I’ll invite them.”
“Really?!” His eyes widen as a small, unconcealable grin shapes his lips.
Honestly, I’m just as surprised by my response as he is. Sure, I’m mostly convinced that I’ve come to believe in our destiny together and what it means for us, but I still haven’t fully wrapped my mind around bringing him home.
But seeing the fear and uncertainty in his eyes confirmed one thing that I now believe in more than anything else: I will do anything to make Rowan happy.
Plus, it might be fun to show him off. He’s incredibly hot, after all.
“Yes, really. Give me a date, and I’ll make sure my family comes as well,” I say.
Suddenly, I cannot breathe.
Rowan has me wrapped up and pulled against his chest. My feet leave the ground as he spins me in a circle, right here in the middle of the town square.
“Yes! Thank you! I love you so much, Elijah, seriously,” he gushes.
“I…” My voice trails off as he sits me back on my feet, and his kind smile tells me it’s okay.
“Don’t rush yourself. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. I’m fine as long as I am allowed to say it.”
To this, I laugh. “Go right ahead, big guy.”
“I love you; I love you!” Rowan shoves his face into my neck, leaving wet kisses as he repeats himself over and over again.
“I get it! That tickles,” I whine, shoving his shoulders. It’s pointless, though; he’s much stronger than I am.
“Fuck our date. Let me take you home—if I don’t get my cock inside of you in the next thirty minutes, I’ll sob like a baby.”
“But Mermaid Water,” I demand.
“Ugh, you’re so cruel to me.” Rowan pouts, pulling back to place a quick kiss on my lips.
“Listen,” I coerce. “If you’re a good boy and take me to the bar, I’ll put you on your knees as soon as we get home. Can you do that? Can you be good?”
“Elijah, you’re evil!” he cries. “But yes. Yes, sir. I can be so good.”
We never make it to Cocktails and Consonances.
My parents, my sisters, and both of my sisters’ husbands fly into North Dakota two weeks later.
They settled into a hotel in Jamestown, and we all plan to meet at Tabitha’s Place at 6 p.m., per my request.
I’m not sure where Rowan’s brother and his parents are staying, but I don’t bother to ask as he anxiously gets ready at my apartment. And if I’m honest, I’m anxious too.
If my medicine didn’t make me so tired, I think I’d take it for the first time since the festival.
The drive to the diner is tense and silent, and I run my fingers over Rowan’s bare arm in an effort to comfort him. It seems to work, as his shoulders sag slightly as he drives.
And all too soon, we are parking against the curb and walking inside, our hands intertwined as I try to steady my breathing.
Some part of me, for the very first time, is scared of what his family will think of me. Other people’s opinions have never mattered much, not to me at least, and this new feeling of fear is quite uncomfortable where it sits heavily in the pit of my stomach.
“Eli! Rowan! Welcome in, want a booth?” Kandi greets us, her long dark hair pulled up into a ponytail that sways dramatically with every step she takes.
“No, thanks,” I say. “Can we get a large table? We have nine more coming.”
“Oh, wow!” she gasps, eyes widening. “A party? Sure, let me arrange some tables.”
As she scurries away, Rowan and I stand by the empty host stand, and I spot Bennett taking the order of an elderly couple toward the back of the diner.
He catches my eye and gives me a soft smile before turning away.
“You nervous?” Rowan suddenly asks. “You look nervous.”
“Are you projecting?” I joke.
“Maybe.”
“Don’t be, they’ll love you.” He nods, running his free hand over my hair. Not to comfort me, but to comfort himself. “If I’m honest, I think I am nervous,” I admit.
Rowan grins. “I knew it. Your hand is sweaty.”
“Hey!” When I try to rip it free from his, he grips me tighter. “Don’t be mean.”
Instead of answering, he places a gentle kiss on my cheek.
“Follow me,” Kandi calls from a few paces away, and we trail after her as she takes us to two long tables lined together in the center of the room. “Look good?”
“It’s great, thanks, Kandi,” Rowan responds.
“I’ll be back to take your drink order after everyone arrives,” she says.
Rowan and I take a seat at the center of the tables, side by side, and he immediately unwraps my silverware and takes my butter knife away.
I can handle butterknives just fine, but ever since he heard the full rundown of my anxiety, he’s been eliminating any potential triggers wherever he can.
It’s moments like these where I think I may very well love him.
“Thank you,” I mumble, and his warm hand settles over my thigh in response.
Five minutes later, as I’m about to order myself a Coke despite the lack of our guests, a loud, familiar voice shouts across the room.
“Lovebug!”
“Dear lord,” I sigh, and I can feel Rowan repressing his laughter.
Standing from my seat, I greet my mother. She approaches quickly, wrapping me in her arms as she rests her head against my chest.
“Hey, Mom,” I greet.
“Looking good, Eli,” Dad grins, covering Mom with his chest as he joins in on the hug.
“God, you guys are so loud,” I hear Jess groan, and my parents pull away to peek around me at Rowan.
“You must be the boyfriend,” Dad says, grinning widely.
“The first boyfriend!” Mom beams, pulling Rowan up from his chair as she hugs him like they’ve known each other for years.
Rowan gives me panicked eyes as he returns the gesture, and I can’t help but chuckle at his discomfort. He asked for this, after all.
“Don’t smother him! What if he runs? We all know Eli isn’t finding another man good enough for him anytime soon,” Jess jokes, ruffling my hair as she plops down on the other side of the table from us. Kyle gives me a smirk as he follows her, waving at Rowan.
“My bad, I didn’t know having standards was a crime,” I shoot back.
“Was it standards, or the inability to accept affection?”
“Jessica!” Mom chastises, finding her own seat directly across from mine with Dad beside her.
“Ignore her,” Carrie says, appearing from thin air with Jeff behind her. “He was clearly just waiting for you, Rowan.”
She has no idea how seriously Rowan is taking those words.
He smirks, extending a hand to her and Jeff as they greet each other. “I consider myself incredibly lucky that Eli thought every other man he encountered before me was too boring for him.”
“You must be very fun, then,” Carrie giggles.
“Car!” Jeff yells at the same time that I say,
“Dude!”
Rowan laughs, pulling my chair back out for me to sit as Carrie takes a seat next to me.
“So,” he starts. “How was everyone’s flight?”
Rowan’s question breaks the tension, and everyone chatters away at once. I find Rowan’s eyes darting back and forth, clearly finding it difficult to keep up with the steady flow of conversation.
“It’s always like this,” I whisper.
Rowan nods. “I can see why you were so overwhelmed.”
“You’re telling me.”
“Ky, I dare you to snort this sugar.” Jeff grabs the jar from one of the two condiment racks situated on the tables, and I roll my eyes.
“If you don’t, I get to shop at that antique store we passed on our way in,” Jess adds, and Kyle pours a line of the sugar onto the table in front of him before promptly snorting it.
“Now, how do you know how to do that?” Dad asks, and everyone busts up laughing.
Rowan is dragged into a conversation revolving around the repair of the old car Dad bought on eBay, and I feel Carrie’s finger poke at my thigh.
“I’m glad it all worked out, Eli,” she whispers. “I told you—love at first sight.”
I just grin, leaning my head onto her shoulder. She tenses briefly at the rare show of affection from me, but relaxes moments later, soaking it in.
I find it kind of funny how unaware everyone around me is. How no one here knows what Rowan and I do about our past life.
They see us and see their previously detached son who finally found his person, and the slightly socially awkward boyfriend. They see a miracle.
Little do they know—it’s probably fate. Probably.
And I’m not keeping it from everyone on purpose. It’s mostly because I wouldn't know how to explain it. Not only would they probably think I’m crazy, but aside from the one vision I had and the happy memories Rowan has, we know nothing else.
We have no clue what actually put us on that bridge, or if we both died when we hit the bottom. Though we both decided it’s not important—we are content never knowing.
As long as we have each other now, it doesn’t matter.
I do wonder, sometimes. I hold a guilt I can’t shake, a pain that’s lingered ever since that day at the festival—and I do wish I could rid myself of it.
But I digress.
“Rowan?” a small, timid voice speaks from behind me.
I jump in my chair, and Rowan tenses slightly from beside me. He stands, turning to face the woman standing there.
She’s about my height and has long black hair and wide green eyes. She looks so much like Rowan that I’d be able to see they’re related without a single introduction.
“Mom,” he greets, and when she hugs him, it’s a bit stiff.
“Thank you for meeting with us. We missed you,” she mumbles.
Behind her is a large man. He stands even taller than Rowan with his dark hair and darker eyes, his mouth slightly turned up at the corner. Rowan has the same nose as his father.
“Son,” the man says, patting Rowan’s shoulder.
“Hey, Dad. Uh, this is Elijah. My boyfriend.”
He peers down at me, and I’m quick to stand and turn toward them. Two sets of assessing, emotionless eyes turn onto me at once, and I find my anxiety spiking.